The Vespa 150 TAP


The Vespa 150 TAP (Troupes Aero Portees) was built for use in the 1950's Algerian War.  Basically it was a standard Vespa 150cc scooter which had been modified to carry a 75mm Mk 20 recoilless rifle. They were designed to work together in pairs, with one scooter carrying the rifle and the other the ammunition.  Due to their small size, they could be packed into cargo containers and dropped from an airplane behind enemy lines.  Once on the ground, the riders would assemble the scooters, load the weapon/ammo and be on their way.  Since the rifle was recoilless, it could be discharged while mounted to the scooter, but generally it would be removed and mounted to a tripod.  These were incredibly cheap to build, costing only about $500 a piece since the rifles were US WWII surplus.  They rifle had a range of 6400 meters and could penetrate armor up to 100 mm thick, which would make it perfect for getting through rush hour traffic...



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